mills



-F. E.. MILLSL Improvementl'n Knee-Brace for Sewing-Machines.

No. 26,l52.

Patented April 30, 1872.

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Wizzeses.

T FFICE.

FRANCIS E. MILLS, OF NEW YORK, N. Y., ASSIGNOR TO MILLS TREADLEMANUFACTURING COIWIPANY,77 OF SAN FRANCISCO, CALIFORNIA.

IMPROVEMENT IN KNEE-BRACES FOR SEWING-MACHINES.

Specilication forming part of Letters Patent No. 126,152, dated April30, 1872; antedated April 18, 1872.

SPECIFICATION.

I, FRANCIS E. MILLS, of the city and State of New York, have inventedaKnee-Brace for Sewing-Machines, of which the following is thespeciiication In working a sewing-machine or other machinery driven withboth feet upon a treadle the knees of the operator have a tendency tofall apart, and it requires considerable muscular effort with mostpersons to preserve the requisite parallelism ofthe limbs, and when themachine runs hard77 the weight of the limbs is sometimes insufficient toprevent the feet lifting partially oft the treadle. My inventionconsists in making'a movable knee-brace or support in such a form, andto be attached to the machine in such a manner, that it may be broughtagainst the knees or limbs so as to prevent their tendency to fallapart, and also enable the opera-tor, when necessary, to bring anadditional pressure upon the treadle. It is more particularly useful inmachines operated by treadles pivoted opposite the anklejoint, but maybe used on others. The form of this knee-brace will depend upon whatpart of the frame of the machine it is to be fastened to. It may beattached by its lower end to some of the lower portions of the machine,in which case it would be brought entirely over the knees and the twosides united at the top. But the most convenient form for use, and theone which I prefer, is to make it of two separate and similar parts orpieces of iron or other metal, having the general form shown at S in theaccompanying drawing', forming a part of this specification, and fastenthese two parts on the under side of the table of the machine, as shownin Figs. 1 and 2 in said drawing. The horizontal portion of each piecebeing cylindrical in shape, about one inch in diameter, and five or sixinches long, is held tightly in a clamp or half thimble, which isscrewed to the under side of the table. The part pro'- jectin g downwardis iiattened to a tolerably thin blade, is about nine inches long, andwhen the two pieces are fastened to the table in the manner shown thelower ends diverge, as represented in Fig. 1, and stand from ten totwelve inches apart, more or less. Though clamped tightly enough tostand in any position they are turned, they may be forced nearertogether or further apart whenever it is-desired. When it becomesnecessary to bring` additional pressure on the treadle they may bebrought so near together as to bind the feet to the treadle; and if itshould be preferred the two parts may be connected by a strap passingdirectly over the knees. Vhen not in use the blades may be turned backunder the table out of the way. Vhen used they are brought forwardagainst the outside ofthe knees, or against the limbs a little back ofthe knees.

Reference to the drawing accompanying this specification and making partofthe same.

Figure 1 is a longitudinal section of a tabletop, T, of asewing-machine, cut vertically through the point C, Fig. 2, showing thekneebrace S S fastened to the under side of the table with the clamps CC. Fig. 2 is an end view ofthe table-top, showing the knee-brace S andthe clamp C. The dotted lines K K denote the position of the knees ofthe operator in reference to the knee-brace S S. The dotted line O showsthe position of the kneebrace when turned back out of the way.

Similar letters indicate the same parts in the two figures.

Claim.

What I claim as'my invention, and desire to secure by Letters Patent,is-

A knee-brace, made and operating substantially as for the purposesdescribed.

FRANCIS E. MILLS.

- Witnesses:

L. W. SLOA'I, WM. WATTENBERG.

